The Ghost and The Girl(Ronald Knox)(Black butler)(Troubled waters)
by ZuraElectra
Summary: Elanora Hawthorn doesn't know who she really is or her life before becoming a Grim Reaper. Now her and Ronald's lives are changing. But are their fates all what they seem? She must uncover her true past,bonds will be tested,Hearts will be broken and The truth will unravel, but at what price?(Sequel to Troubled Waters)
1. What will be?

Elanora P.O.V

"Ronald Knox!" I yelled, I was sat down stairs in Ronald's kitchen, my pocket watch held in my hand, glaring at the time the hands indicated. If he didn't bloody well hurry up we would be late for work...

"I can't find them anywhere!" Ronald yelled, his head appearing through the banister, which could be seen from the kitchen doorway.

"Well then where did you have them last?" I yelled back, taking a final sip of my tea, before standing up and putting the cup in the sink.

"My shoes were under the bed last time I checked, I took them out of there." He replied.

"Oh then they're by the lamp in the living room where you always put them." I folded my arms and smiled as his face went blank, before he ran into the living room.

A minute later, he walked out again, familiar white shoes on and a embarrassed smile on his face.

"Ha ha! I knew that!" He laughed.

"Oh sure you did." I nodded sarcastically, placing a soft kiss on his cheek as I fixed is tie, which was crooked, obviously from his frantic search.

"Oh shut up!" He laughed, deepening the kiss. We just stayed there for a few moments, until.

The clock rang with the stroke of the hour.

"Ah shit!" Ronald sighed, knowing my reaction.

"HOLY DEATH, DAMMIT RONALD! WE'RE GOING TO BE LATE! COME ON LETS GO!" I yelled, practically dragging him out the door down the road and down to dispatch.

It's been three months since what's now being called the battle for the Pastures. And finally things were starting to return to normal... Well mostly normal anyway... I mean sure the buildings were fixed, but the loss of Reapers was huge, over one hundred reapers died... many more were maimed...

Since we were so understaffed, new Reaper students that would normally have a three month incubation period before having a second creation, were created straight away, which only managed to slightly fill the numbers!

Sally came out of hospital about two weeks ago, she had suffered massive head injuries when Darina threw her head first vertically into the ground... She had lay in a coma for a month and woken up dazed and confused, luckily she remembered who we were and had most of her memories... except for how she got her injury. She was actually shocked when we told her... and even more shocked when I told her I was the Daughter of Grim! Which brings me to the next part... Since everyone saw that I am now a pretty hot topic in the offices. I even have all the women that bullied me, now crawling up my backside... But not Janice ,oh no! Instead she's been telling people I'm dangerous and that they should have nothing to do with me... Especially since I hit her and how it was my fault in the first place Darina died...

What Janice doesn't know is today I was pulling in a little favour from William for staying up to do all those extra accounts with him five days in a row... I mean Ronald was pissed, because he wanted to spend time with me and to keep himself busy took on extra shifts with Eric, but it's about to all be worth it...

We ran through the doors , into the elevator past the library and into dispatch... Where Janice stood at the door..

"Well look who it is, I feel sorry for you Ronald, being strung along..." Janice sneered.

"Death knows no one and I mean no one, has time for you and your crap. Take it somewhere else, because if I have to keep looking at the lines of heavy make up that definitely stand out from your skin tone making it look so uneven..." I retorted literally shoving past her...

"They'll all see! You're trouble!" She yelled.

"Sure! Just like your face!" I yelled back.

Ronald sniggered as we walked into dispatch, collecting out assignments for the day, which were logged into out death books.

Mine neat as always, where as Ronald was messy with bits of paper sticking out of pages..

Before we left, I knocked on Williams door.

"Enter." I heard a stiff reply and swiftly opened the door.

Walking in briskly.

"Ah Elanora. You wanted to ask a favour?" He asked, the mountain of paper work at his desk, wobbling slightly as he put his pen down.

"Yes... Well you know how I spent five nights helping to with accounts?" I said, sweetly.

William eyed me suspiciously.

"Yes, and as such I owe you a favour and because Janice has been annoying you, your going to ask me to put her on sewer duty." He responded, he never broke eye contact with me as he said that and my jaw dropped.

"I know you too well." He chuckled slightly.

"I know you too well as well Sempai."

"Alright, I'll do it. I actually don't know why I didn't do it sooner, she's been barging in here demanding you be stripped of you position in dispatch, it's all rather frustrating isn't it?" He sighed... It was pretty obvious he hadn't been sleeping well lately, being a department head in times like this was a rough and risky business.

"I know... She is a handful... I must be off Sempai. My collections are due in about six minutes and you know what happens if I'm late." I said.

"Yes. We have seen you drag in Dispatch Officer Knox many a time." He said.

"Yeah, well he should learn to be on time." I smiled as I waved a goodbye and walked out where Ronald was waiting for me.

Ronald P.O.V

"Okay that's two hundred and forty seven!" Elanora called from the alley way.

We had been reaping since we left dispatch this morning, and now it was almost ten o'clock...

We hadn't had any breaks and it was way past clocking in time normally. Over time is the worst, but considering where we were it was my best friend tonight...

"Yeah! I'm done here too, I think that's about it!" I called back.

She walked up next to me, stamping a complete in the page of her death book.

"Okay, that's it... Finally I'm absolutely exhausted. Thank the lord that this may be the last time we do this. With the new recruit training assignments for the next couple of weeks, we should be over time free!" Elanora sighed, yawning slightly.

At that moment we were five roofs away from a clock tower, in the darkness of the night the clock glowed green with it's light hazy and dim lit... It was perfect.

"Come on!" I said, grabbing her hand and leading her over.

"What are we doing here!?" She asked as we stepped onto the ledge. The clock glow leaving a black silhouette of the hands.

"Just enjoy this for a moment with me would ya?" I laughed, grabbing her by the waist and putting my head on her shoulder.

One thing that did bother me... After Elanora fully awakened her powers, all her scars vanished including her large shoulder scar... as if it wasn't there. It felt weird. I had finally gotten used to it being there and it was gone again.

We stood looking for a few moments, it was three minutes til ten... So it was basically now or never.

I let go of her slowly. She turned around in slight surprise.

"Elanora." I said.

"Yeah Ron?" She responded.

I felt the black velvet box in my pocket and smiled nervously... I never thought in a million years I would be doing this again!

I bent down on one knee and looked up at her... She looked shocked.

"Elanora Hawthorn. When I first met you I never thought you would be the one for me. Too smart and independent to consider going out with a player like me, but for some reason you saw past that. And I could never figure out how or why. But if you let me I want to spend the rest of my life finding out. Because you're the best thing that happened to me, and I said I'd never let you go. So... Elanora will you marry me?" I finished... Some parts of that sounded a lot better in my head then they did out loud. I pulled out the small box and opened it to reveal the ring, dark blue gems on delphinium flowers in silver, the ring shone in the glow of the clock tower, almost dazzling the blue gems green like her eyes.

She stood in wide eyed silence for a moment and I started to feel nervous... What if she said no? I mean she had every right too... Maybe it wasn't the right time!? Maybe she wasn't ready to settle down!?

"Yes."

"Wait, what!?"

"Yes! Yes Ronald! I'll marry you! Yes!" She yelled happily.

The clock struck ten and I stood up and took her in my arms and swung her around. Elanora was going to be my Wife!

"Then I guess you had better start wearing this!" I smiled. Putting the ring on her finger. I prayed it was the right size!

It thankfully slipped on with no trouble at all.

"We're getting married!" She cried happily.

I could not have been happier.

"So what does that make us no?" She asked, smiling happily, almost in a daze.

"Something amazing." I smiled back, kissing her lips softly.

Elanora P.O.V

Snuggled under the sheets tucked into Ronald's arms I sighed happily. I hadn't felt so happy since... Well I don't know when I felt so happy.

"Hey Ron?" I asked tiredly.

"Yeah Elanora?" He replied.

I shuffled slightly so I was facing him, our noses touching slightly. The room was slightly colder that evening and our breaths hung slightly in the air, so we put our head under the sheets completely and hugged closely for warmth. Making up for the regret of wearing a sleeveless night gown and Ronald being topless...

"If we're getting married we're going to have to live together... So who sells their house... Or do we get an entirely new house?" I asked hazily, my eye's drooping slightly, but I tried to stay awake for this important conversation.

"Well, both out houses are smaller than us living together, we barely fit in our houses, but we can get a bigger place..." He said...

"Yeah... Wait, um do you want..?""What?" He asked, eyes opening mores slightly in the darkness so he could see my facial expression.

"Do you want children?" I asked... not really knowing what answer I was expecting. I mean Grim reapers can have children.. it's been proven and they either live lives as humans or they live as Grim reapers some either go onto become Grim reapers... but must suffer a death experience and then death if they so choose or just have desk work. They do not have to suffer the sins of their parents.

Except if I have children... They would be Descendants of Grim and would probably suffer... Did I really want to do that to my child?

"Huh... I've never really thought about that before... I guess it would be nice to have a little one call me Papa or Daddy." He smiled.

"Wait really?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes! I want to spend the rest of my life with you, and I want to have a family with you." He kissed my forehead and I smiled.

"You know... we have to tell William-Sempai tomorrow, and Grell, Leon, Sally, Eric and Alan." I sighed softly.

Ronald sat up in bed, quickly and bolt upright in alarm.

"Oh shit!" He yelled.

The next day it was lunch break and in the canteen everyone sat at the table, now all we needed was for William to walk in and then we could tell them.

"Alright, why do you want us here?" Alan asked. He sat in the middle arms folded looking expectedly at his sandwich... He wanted to eat it, but he didn't want to look rude by not listening... But he was hungry...

He took a small, yet loud bite of the tuna salad sandwich and got a cold glare from Sally, he sadly put the sandwich.

"You were expecting me." William said from behind Ronald... His smile vanished from his face and he tensed. He was finding this the most daunting thing to do and we weren't even getting married yet...

"Yeah so sit down Sempai." He chuckled nervously, William eyed him suspiciously, but begrudgingly took the only available seat next to Grell who grabbed his arm delightedly.

"Okay so... we have some news.." I said, getting slightly nervous.

"My Death! You've Knoxed her up, haven't you Ronald!?" Eric said, literally standing up from his seat and pointing his finger at him.

William stood up, no words leaving his mouth as he summoned his death scythe and aimed it at Ronald.

"Ah! No!" He yelled throwing his hands up defensively.

"No! Wait I'm not pregnant!" I yelled stepping in front of Ronald.

"Oh..." Eric said, both him and William promptly sitting down.

"Well then a what is this a news?" Grell asked, laughing as Ronald jumped jack behind me.

I took off my white glove and Ronald held out my hand so everyone could see the ring.

"We're getting married." We both said in unison.

Everyone sat their in shocked silence for a moment, before everyone rushed as at once, being grabbed in hugs and hand shakes, Grell wanting to see the ring or countless questions like what date did we have in mind for the wedding? However Ronald was pulled aside by William.

Ronald P.O.V

A firm arm was on my shoulder his grip almost painful. His face stern and unmoving, until a small smile twitched at his lips... I must be dreaming I've never seen William smile!

"Same agreement as always treat her right... or I break you." He said. I nodded, not a word leaving my mouth.

"One other thing I would suggest. That you two go to see the Grim Reapers marriage counsellor at some point this week, so you have an idea of what you're getting into." He said.

"Wait they have those!?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes. Up past the library near the infirmary." Elanora said from behind me.

I jumped in fright, she was far too much like William at times. I turned around and her and the rest of the 'gang' were stood behind us...

What a good start this was.

"How did I not know this?" I asked... it also meant possibly a whole load of women that may not hate me, because I never got around to dating them once and then not calling again... Ha ha...

This is going to be awful!

"Cause you never needed to go up there." She chuckled.

"Fair enough, we'll go up after work." I laughed dryly...

Elanora P.O.V

"You ready to go?" I asked leaning on Ronald's desk as he finished his paper work, the ton of papers mounted messily in the pick up tray... again. It surprises me how he keeps his house almost spotless, yet his desk looks like something out of a war zone.

"Yeah..." He breathed a heavy sigh... I could tell he didn't want to go...

"Come on Ronald it's going to be fine and you promised me you would go." I said.

He grumbled something inaudible.

"What did you say?" I asked.

"I said, I'm only doing this because I love you." He replied.

"Isn't that the point of us getting married?" I laughed.

He deadpanned for a minute and a half, obviously not sure on how to retort before replying.

"Shut up!"

He finished his paper work, got up and proceeded to walk with me up to the counsellors office. When we got outside we knocked on the door and heard a feminine reply to enter...

Oh she was going to love our dysfunctional mess of a relationship.

Hmm lets see, what traits do you notice most about your partner.

Well she's shy at the worst times, has her boss pretty much act like a homicidally protective older brother... Oh yeah and she's the over powered, great times a lot granddaughter of the original Grim Reaper, making her pretty much death!

Yes... because this is going to be the best conversation of my life... Maybe this was a bad idea after all.

As we walked in sat in a chair was a women with mousy brown hair in a ballerina bun, thick, transparent square cut glasses and she wore a black suit jacket and a black pencil skirt to her ankles, nails polished and pristine, you could tell she was a desk worker.

"Miss Hawthorn, Mr Knox I've been expecting you, I'm Doctor Cotsgrove, Please take a seat." She said, her voice seemed pretty toneless when you hear it up close.

Me and Ronald both proceeded to take the two seat in front of her, holding hands as we sat next to each other...

"So I hear you are engaged to be married, congratulations, I imagine you are here to know what you are getting into?" She said, grabbing a pen and pad from her desk a yard behind her.

"Spears-Sempai told you about it before we came." I said blankly.

"You could tell?" Dr Cotsgrove asked.

"I know him too well and I never booked and appointment with you." I responded.

"Well. You are perceptive, just like Spears-Sempai. But we are not here to talk about him, maybe later, but you two should know that marriage is a sacred bond and should not be taken lightly, now before we continue do you know any couples or people who are married, within the dispatch society?" She asked.

"No not really, I mean we've seen a few of them, but not to talk to." Ronald said.

"Well then let me give you a basic run down. A marriage between two Grim Reapers is much more intimate than that of human marriage, instead of just being bound by law, parts of your soul will reside within one another, effectively making you one. As such you will be able to feel each others pain, whether it be mental and or physical. You will also be forever connected, almost like telepathy, being able to communicate with each other, even if far apart. Another common trait of this is that you will see all of their memories, so anything you wish to keep hidden will come out. In other words if there are any secrets between you, it would be wise to let them out before the wedding, lest we get any nasty surprises." Dr Cotsgrove finished.

We sat and thought for a moment... I've hidden things from Ronald about my training days, dark horrible things, that I never wanted him to know. Nothing I've done, just what's happened to me... Not only that, but I don't remember my life before being a Grim Reaper.

"Do you fully understand this?" She asked.

"Yes." We both said looking at each other...

"Alright then, now looking through your notes, I must ask do you both remember your lives as humans?" She asked.

Ronald just looked at me, with that knowing glance that just speaks. "Should you tell her or should I?" I just jerked my head at him as a response.

"I do, but Elanora doesn't." He said, grasping my hand a little tighter for comfort.

Dr Cotsgrove looked at me, a surprised look on her face. One which she could not hide, even if she tried. She did however compose herself afterwards.

"I see, are you aware that you can access your human death records in the Grim Reaper library?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"Then why have you not done this?" She asked sternly.

A sense of her judging me lingered from her eyes.

"I was told that my memories would come back naturally. And the attending psychologist, told me that doing so would have a negative impact on my memory development." I replied.

"I see and who was your attending psychologist?"

"Dr Allister." I said, I remember that guy, he was kind of creepy, not the nicest thing to wake up to...

"Hmmm... Well then, according to your notes your last meeting with him was more than three years ago, so I would over turn this and have you go search in the library." Dr Cotsgrove said, shutting her notepad.

"That's it?" Ronald asked in shock, he smiled pleasantly, thinking this was like a slight walk in the park.

"No. After you have done this I can then run you through the rest, this is just a need to know first." She replied.

Before Ronald could even whine or moan about it, I squeezed his hand and stood up from my seat, him following.

"Thank you, I'll arrange for a meeting with you after this has happened." I smiled politely.

"Goodbye."

Ronald P.O.V

We had since walked to Elanora's house and were making dinner. One thing that did bother me was how small her kitchen was... Both of us could barely fit in there. She was being very quiet... Almost like she was thinking about something. I mean I don't blame her. We have a lot to think about... There won't be nothing that we don't know about each other...

Oh shit... If she she's about that one time with the bowl of pudding... She won't look at me the same way again.

WHY!? WHY DID I DO THAT!? CURIOUSITY YOU HAVE FORSAKEN ME!?

"We need a bigger kitchen." I blurted out suddenly.

"W-What?"

"I said we need a bigger kitchen. I want to cook stuff more often, but to do that we would need the room." I answered.

"Alright then, but if we get a bigger kitchen, then I would like a whole room filled with books." She said.

"A whole room!?" I gaped at her in shock.

"Yes... like a little library." She smiled.

"Are you insane!? Other than books it's like wasting an entire room, can't you just get a bookcase or something!?" I asked.

"I have more books that fit in boxes anymore, they could fill a whole room and we could put a Piano in it, and a sofa! Please Ron!" She begged, her eyes getting wider and her lips pouting... Ah Dammit I can't say no to that...

"Fine... But the first thing I get to do in the kitchen is make a massive sandwich with Leon and Eric like we talked about." I smirked.

"How big are we talking?" Elanora asked, slotting the chicken in the oven and taking a sip of water from a glass on the counter.

"Hmmm... About the size of William's extended scythe." I chuckled.

She suddenly spat out her drink.

"Are you insane!?"

"No! Grells helping too!" I said in defence.

We just looked at each other, for a second and then burst out laughing.

"Oh! Oh! Seriously!?" She laughed, barely able to keep herself stood up, having to lean on the counter to not fall on the floor.

"Yeah... Have him cut it with his chainsaw!" I laughed...

Elanora P.O.V

So this was the second day after work and we had just left the dispatch and went to the library.

The place in itself was huge, the walls lined with vast amounts of bookcases and the floor lined with a few tables in which to check them on.

The checked floor, shone in the dim lights, always kept remarkably clean by the caretakers.

At the front stood a lone desk, with one librarian, slightly hunched over desktop. No one really knows how long she's been there, but she's served as the librarian for longer than Pop's has been making glasses... And that's a long... long time!

"Okay so lets find yours, where do we start?" Ronald said.

He rubbed his hands together excitedly, he was obviously looking forward to this more than me... I was dreading this moment... I wanted my memories to come back within my own time... Not like this. In front of my fiancé.

"Last name is H and the second letter of my name is A, as well as the W it will be third from the end, probably near sections 9887 to 11002." I responded.

"How do you-"

"Again, worked here for a bit when I was confined to desk duty after Darina died the first time... You pick up things." I said.

I hated describing Darina's death in such a way, but I didn't know what else to call it.

"Lets get searching..." Ronald sighed..

Ronald P.O.V

"This is the eight time now! Where is it!?" I said, trying to hide my frustration. It had been three hours and what was supposed to be a thirty minute search was now a mess. Her book was no where to be found.

"I don't know it's weird." She replied, she though for a moment.

"Ronald. Go and get yours for me would you." She said.

"Why?" I asked, not wanting to go on another hunt.

"Just do it! R. O. N, hmm about 78999 to 7945." She said.

I sighed again and walked around the vast corners, finding the R section and running a finger along the spines of the books looking for my name. Until I found Ronald Knox.

"Gotcha, okay now lets have a look see." I whispered to myself.

I opened the page and watched the record unravel, everything looked normal... I killed myself... and I expected it to end, but instead...

I OPENED MY EYES AGAIN... AND I GOT UP AND WALKED AROUND... NEAR A BRIDGE!

Then it ended, with the word Fin...

I slowly closed the book, my hands felt sweaty and my heart raced, hammering against my chest... We needed to see William.

"Ron? Ron what's wrong?" Elanora asked, walking up to me. Her hand on my shoulder.

"It didn't end... When I died I got up again!" I could barely breathe.. My head started pounding and the room was spinning. I could barely breathe.

"Ron!" I tripped backwards and Elanora grabbed me, before I could fall.

Elanora P.O.V

I lead Ronald to William's office. With any luck he should still be in his office. Even if it is late I know he has over time.

I had Ronald's hand firmly in mine, making sure he was fully awake every two seconds. I don't know what happened in the library, but this was big!

I knocked on the door. And waited until William responded with an aggravated sigh.

"Elanora, Whatever's the matter!?" William stood up, my upset state being totally obvious, of course I wasn't hiding it either.

"I can't find my memories! They aren't there! And when we looked for Ronald's his didn't end, and now his head is throbbing and he almost passed out!" I explained, my breath coming out in short rasps.

William stood up slowly, his face stoic and expressionless.

"Ah... I thought this day might arrive, and I should have expected it, with your up coming marriage." He said.

"Sempai... What are you talking about?" I asked, starting to get very alarmed by the way he was speaking.

"You wanted this... Didn't you?" He said, reaching into his draw and unlocking a box, he then pulled out a black book, in gold letters it said a name.

Elanora Hawthorn.

"S-Sempai!?" My breath hitched in my throat...

Why did he have my memories!?


	2. Ending with the beginning

What the hell Spears-Sempai!" Ronald yelled.

"If your referring as to how I acquired Elanora's memories, I may not be able to explain fully." He said, the book held firmly in his grasp, as if expecting something to happen to it.

Thinking about it, why was it in that locked box in the first place... Why did I never know about it!?

"No! I want to know why you have them! Why you never told me!" I said, the angry tone rising in my throat.

I didn't know what to think. I felt betrayed. I never thought I would be kept in the dark by one of the people who had shed so much light on the things I either didn't or wasn't supposed to know...

There was an awkward silence in the room, he just stood there looking at me, same stoic expression on his face...

"Why!?" I yelled, loosing all composure I had been trying to retain.

"I can't condone what I have done, or the consequences they might have, but I would not have taken these actions If I did not think that it would be safer this way." He replied.

"Made what safer?" Ronald asked, clearly as confused as I was.

"I think it would be better if you.. both saw for yourself..." He said, delving into the draw again and taking out another book.

Ronald Knox.

Ronald, did a double take, his face turning pale and looking at it he swayed, grasping his head, his knee's buckled and he collapsed!

"Ronald!" I jumped in shock, quickly kneeling beside him on the floor.

He groaned in pain, his hands cradling his head.

"What the hell... Is this... my brain, hurts, just looking at it." He groaned.

I shot a questioning look at William, he stood there for a moment, before walking over, and outstretching his arms, offering both books!

"This is what you were after, and the only way I could ever hope for you to understand. So please take them and look through them, I would advise doing this now, considering Ronald's... Condition." He said cautiously.

I took the books, but hesitated... How could I... and I can't believe I'm saying this...

How could I really trust William?

"I promise while you look through them I will not do anything. I will even lock my death scythe in the cupboard and give you sole responsibility of the key. I give you my word." He said.

I nodded, He handed me his death scythe and the key to the cupboard at the back of the office. I took them both and made my way over to the cupboard, locking the scythe inside.

I knew it wasn't that easy though, even when without a scythe in training William always beat me. And I didn't know now, because I didn't know if me awakening my powers made me stronger, but I wasn't going to test it out in case I accidently killed him or something.

Ron who was recovering on the floor was trying to stand up, using the sofa as a support. I quickly walked over and gently nudged him to sit on it.

"So, we're actually doing this?" He asked, leaning back in the sofa.

"Uh, huh. You need to find stuff out two, remember?" I gave him his book and sat next to him with mine.

"Why, why are there two copies of my memories?" He asked, slightly dazed.

"The one in the library was an edited version, the one you posses now is the real one." He said.

I looked at Ronald... he nodded at me, this was going to change things... For better or for worse...

Though all I ever really remembered was doing a few tricks at a circus...

"Okay and we tell each other after okay?" He replied to me.

"Yes..." I breathed, before opening the book...

My name is Elanora Hawthorn...

And this is the story of how I died...

Ronald P.O.V

How could she do this to me!? I know I'm only a painter! But I said to her that people were starting to recognise me! She said she loved me and yet... When I walk up to her door and knock only to find no such answer and instead have a look in the window, what do I find?! Her and another man! My fiancé with another man!

I sat on the window ledge to my small apartment above a small shop. A gun held firmly within the grasp of my otherwise shaking hands, my face red and tear stained and my blonde hair, messy and un kept...

What did I really have to live for... I wasn't of any particular social standing, I had a few drinking friends, but I often felt bored and lonely, my only slight solace in the alcohol. I only really drank socially anyway... But every time I thought of her, all I could think of was her with another man!

I looked towards the note I had left on the desk to my small room. It was next to a dark, dingy little alley. I didn't want to be found in a place like that, but in her eye's I wasn't really worth anything. Besides I wanted to do this in the privacy of my own home... Not the home I had known out of London, but at least here.

I raised the gun, my back to the window.

I heard it would be quicker and painless this way... I hope so...

I don't want to hurt anymore...

I tasted metal in my mouth, my finger pressed lightly on the trigger...

I glanced around.

One last moment.

My last moment...

Bang!

Everything was darkness, in only an instant.

Elanora P.O.V

"Please sir! Please sir I'm sorry! I didn-"

"Shut up! All you ever do is apologize, how about you stop being a clumsy idiot and actually do your work properly" My master... The lord of the house yelled, the harsh sting of leather hitting the skin not covered by my maids Uniform.

My name is Elanora Martha Hawthorn. I am the only maid to the London town house of Lord Kearnsey...

Unfortunately he spends a majority of time in the town house... But will go for months on end to his various "Benefactors" Estates...

I have been in my Lords service since I was six...

It was at first my mother, Lydia Hawthorn who worked for the lord and cared for me... Her mixed race child. My Father had died when I was one or so years old.. I remember his face, vaguely. My mother said even though they weren't supposed to be together, because my father was a black servant and my mouth a ladies chamber maid, that they loved each other very much... I never knew how my father died...

In the Lords house I would help do chores and clean as best I could for my age...

Until Mother died of the scarlet fever when I was fourteen. After that I took over... I am the only person living in the house when the Lord is away...

Which is fine, because I have learnt to do what I want, I was taught to read by my mother and when the master is out of the house I will go into his library and read, his vast majority of books never taken out, just gathering dust... He never noticed though... Mother had taught me to clean too well, I never left dust anywhere.

The only problem was whenever he returned, he was either drunk, abusive or both...

Today was no exception... I had been walking in with his afternoon tea as per usual and where he had spilled his alcohol, it left a great, slippery mess on the wooden floor... I already had failing eyesight, the pair of thin wire glasses I had been given as a child far too weak for my eye's and I had slipped with tea in hand and broken one of the cups.

My uniform soaked through, the next thing I knew I was being beaten again...

The lashes of the belt continued, even after I had stopped begging.

"And why do you have your hair up! Haven't I forbade you to have your hair up! You filthy N### whore! If It bothers you get a knife and cut it off!" He yelled.

He was a great oaf, large from his over indulgence in both food and alcohol, giving him a beer belly as it was... He was a slight ways taller than me, but still considered stout... I wanted to slap his face every time I saw it, but I knew I was in no position to do so.

My wrists and legs felt numb from shielding my face.

I held in tears, eventually the beatings stopped and I thought it was over...

Until I felt one swift kick in the stomach... I took in a sharp intake of breath and wheezed...

Please stop... Or kill me! Just make it end!

He slurred something slightly and then wandered up stair's, grabbed a suitcase and walked to the door.

"Clean this mess up!" He yelled before, haphazardly slamming the door.

I sat up shakily, my whole body sore, and my hands un reliably shaking.

I sobbed and wailed and screamed! I was done!

I couldn't take this anymore...

All the emotion's I had bottled up inside exploded and it felt like all my energy was rushing out of me, my ears started ringing and I collapsed on the floor sobbing...

Ronald P.O.V

I opened my eye's... To the Alley?

That can't be right, I should be dead! I looked around, everything seemed to be normal, I certainly wasn't heaven or hell either...

I stood up and patted myself down, that's when I looked down and noticed, that I strangely glowed, blue?

I took a step forward, and heard a slight squelch... I quickly jumped around in shock and yelled in fright...

I was on the floor, my whole body pale and covered in blood, and my eye's transfixed on nothingness, staring up at the light that shone through the tall alley...

I was dead?

I looked at my vacant body for a moment, confused...

This has to be some sort of weird dream! It must be!

I walked out of the Alley and found two ladies walking down the street, I walked past them and bid them a normal good afternoon, but they didn't see me... One of the ladies, stopped and turned, before I could even side step to avoid her, She was about to run into me.

I closed my eyes expecting to crash into her, but instead gasped in a shock pain, as she literally walked right through me.

It felt like my whole body had been plunged into the icy winters of mid December.

I was shocked. I tried to get the others attention, but she just did the same, causing a similar reaction as before when someone walked right through me.

I yelled at people as they passed, pulled funny faces, but they didn't know I existed!

I kept walking around, hoping someone would notice me!

Elanora P.O.V

By now I had cleaned myself up and prepared dinner for the Lords return... He was probably going to be drunk, so I put a few more potatoes on than meat to soak up the booze. He never noticed anyway...

I heard the familiar sound of the door softly closing and stumbling footsteps into the dining room opposite...

The chair legs scratched along the oak floor as he dragged out his familiar seat and sat down with a plop.

"Dinner!" He yelled to me...

I was a lowly maid, and yet I had more manners than his swollen pinky finger could ever posses!

I quickly rushed out with the plate in one hand, a towel over my arm and a gravy boat in another...

I placed it on the table and started pouring his gravy...

At first everything was normal, but as I was just about to finish pouring his gravy I noticed something blue out of the corner of my eye. I shrieked in fright, as I saw a blond man... Probably about my age, literally walking through the dining room wall. I jumped back, his face turning to shock and the gravy boat slipped from my hand and onto the table, landing topside thankfully, but sloshing the gravy in the boat, it dripping onto the table slightly.

"What in God's name do you think your doing!?" He growled, standing up from his seat and yanking at my hair.

"I saw! I saw it sir I swear, a man literally just walked through the wall sir!" I said, hearing how stupid that sounded in my head and mentally scolding myself.

"Shut up with your lies and excuses!" He yelled, slapping me hard around the face...

And we were now in todays second round of beatings..

I fell backwards onto the floor from the sheer force and I felt several punches to my face and my torso, winding me.. I groaned in pain, but he didn't stop.

The man who had somehow entered the room, yelled his protests to my punishment.

My lord did not stop. One of my eye lids felt slightly heavy and sore... I may have another black eye again.

I just need to make it to midnight, that's when he's leaving for his, benefactors estate in Cornwall... he will not return back here until a month and a half...

Eventually his hits lost there power and he stopped, getting off and walking to his bedroom, most likely for another drink...

I lay there for a few minutes, my whole body spasming in pain.

I felt a hand being gently placed on my arm and I twitched. The hand was warm, yet cool at the same time, it was strange...

I opened my eye's slowly to see the persons face...

He was glowing faintly blue and was slight transparent, I could faintly see a picture hanging on a wall behind him through his body.

He was blond by the looks of it and bright blue eye's. He was wearing a white top and a deep blue waist coat, black trousers and black shoes...

His expression was one of shock, and slight worry.

"Miss! Miss can you hear me!?" He called, my vision going in and out in a blur as my consciousness wavered. I weakly nodded my head once.

I looked at the clock slight, it was about time for him to go now... I heard the familiar slam and locking of the door and he was off, just like that... Thank God it was late when he came back from the Pub!

He locks the doors to keep me in... He still hasn't figured out I keep a key yet...

I drifted off very suddenly and the next thing I knew I was on the sofa in the living room...

I woke up, my whole body sore and aching, I was alone again. But I couldn't figure out what had happened...

I know I saw that man appear through the wall... Or did I ?

Am I going mad!?

God, he'll throw me in a looney bin!

Or beat me to death, or till I'm unable to walk or move or function properly...

I looked out of the small window... All I had ever wanted was my true freedom, I wanted to be equal.

To do what I wanted, when I wanted, greet people... Not be lonely anymore...

I was lonely... When mother died, I was alone in the house with my Lord... I was never allowed to leave, I only could when he was away and even then no one would socialize with me... Outcast, forever and always...

I don't want to be alone anymore...

I want to be with my Mother again...

I shakily got up and grabbed my scarf, that I wrapped around my shoulders... I didn't take anything else.

Where I was going I didn't need possessions.

It was cold outside, the cold night air hung heavily in the streets as I walked through. The normally busy streets of London empty, an eerie silence filled the atmosphere, the only thing to be heard was the clicking of my heels on the cobbled street, a dim gas lamp shedding a tiny bit of light on the otherwise dreary end of the street that leads to the bridge...

Ronald P.O.V

I walked back into the living room and she was gone... But where could she have gone to!?

I suddenly heard the door slam shut and ran out to see her walking off somewhere in the direction of the bridge... Where was she going!?

Where ever it was I couldn't let her leave! She was the only one that could see me! I had to get answers from her.

I quickly followed her, suddenly noticing that I could not see my shadow when I walked through lights... It unnerved me. Like something I had read in a book somewhere! Elise had many books, but she never let me read them...

Focus stop thinking about her! She's the reason your in this mess... Her cheating on you!

I shook myself off and continued to run after the girl, she looked about my age actually, tan and with hair almost as black as the night sky in which we walked and one thing I could not forget.

Her shockingly blue eye's. The colour of the sky on the greatest of summer days.

Such a wonder for her to have, I had never heard of someone having such eyes.

She was a thin girl, almost as tall as me, but not quiet...

When I finally caught up with her she was... Stood on the bridges edge...

I gasped in shock, and carefully took steps towards her... It was bitterly cold, even though I could no longer feel it I could tell...

She only had a long scarf on over her maids uniform, obviously not made for outdoor weather such as this.

She carefully took a step forward, her heel almost hanging off the edge.

"Wait!" I yelled.

She just shook her head, something left her face and then another...

They were tears...

"You're not real! I'm going crazy!" She sobbed, putting her hands over her face.

"I am! Please don't jump!" I said, taking a step forward.

"I can't take it anymore! I can't take him! All I ever known is beatings! I never knew my father and my mother's dead! I have no friends, no family! No money! I have no Freedom! I don't want to be alone!" She sobbed, her voice cracking.

I felt a pain in my chest...

I felt pain...

I felt her pain...

"Please! I know what it's like to be alone! But this is not the answer! Why do you think I'm here?!" I yelled...

"W-what do you mean!?" She replied, her stance on the bridge moving in slightly as she turned around to look at me.

"I killed myself this morning... And this is what happened! I've been stuck here with no one able to see or hear me... Except you!"

She just looked at me in shock... I hoped she believed me.

I walked forward very carefully as not to agitate her... There was one thing I do know though... When I touched her my hand didn't pass through... She was solid.

"Please, don't make that mistake and end up like this! You'll feel even more alone. I think this is what happens when you commit suicide." Until I was at the edge of the bridge.

She carefully tried to get down but slipped...

She fell forwards and I grabbed her, she was so light I was holding her in my arms. He whole body shaking with sobs.

"It's okay..." I soothed...

I was sympathising with a girl I had never known... and yet, strangely it felt right...

Grim Reapers Realm. Dispatch...

"Grell get out of my office... I just got it and am trying to keep it clean." William scolded Grell using his death scythe to push Grell off of his desk, where he had been sat, leaning flirtatiously over William.

"Oh come on Will! I was just congratulating you over your promotion, it's not everyday you get made the head of dispatch you know!" Grell swooned... Lately William had been less patient with this certain red headed reaper. Now was one of those times.

Grell held a bouquet of flowers in his hand. Obviously for William, he proceeded to wave them in front of Williams face while he did his second mountain of paper work.

He had only just been promoted and now he was having to deal with this... His anger was growing, while his patience was wearing thin...

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Enter!" He called, shoving Grell off of his desk with a hard shove. The red headed reaper hissed as he hit the floor ass first.

A ginger reaper entered the room, bowing respectfully and then holding up his death book.

"Sir, there was a problem... I went to collect a soul, one soul in particular, that of a girl who was supposed to commit suicide, but as I got there, she was stopped, by a translucent figure, that also matches another suicide, of which I could not collect the soul of either! But she didn't die sir. I'm sorry for my failure Sempai!" The reaper bowed his head in shame.

William looked though the book.

Elanora Hawthorn

Ronald Knox

William reached for the telephone on his desk and put his hand up to Grell who was trying to speak...

He explained the situation and then waited.

"I see... Yes... As you wish sir..." He said stoically before putting down the phone...

"They won't be escaping death... But this is strictly a need to know assignment... It does not leave this room. Do I make myself clear?"

The other two reapers nodded nervously.

Grell could tell how serious this actually was... He had called the higher ups for this matter...

"Mr Sullivan you are dismissed, Grell come with me!" William said, standing up from his desk.

"Where are we going!?" Grell said in surprise as William quickly walked passed him to the door.

"To the Grim Reaper Library! We must look up one by the name of Maria Enzere!" William said, before opening the door...

He didn't know what was going on, but the escape of death was very, very rare. But escape from becoming a Grim Reaper after committing suicide, or the intervention of a suicide that was written in the books... Was unheard of!

He needed answers...


	3. A Bond beyond death

Elanora P.O.V

"So what's your name miss?" The blond asked, he was slightly taller than me, smartly dressed, but not rich by the looks of it and had blond kept hair, with a slight... dare I say cowlick, what a peculiar thing?

"Oh E-Elanora, Elanora Hawthorn." I said, between sniffs... somehow this person had carried me back here, strange since he could walk through walls and all that.  
"Nice to meet you Miss, the names Ronald, Ronald Knox." He said, even though he didn't sound too happy there was a certain, presence about him, that felt like he was a bubbly person, somewhere in there.

He gingerly stuck his hand out and I obliged by taking it and giving it a slight shake.

We sat in an awkward silence for a moment, neither of us knowing what to say.  
"Does he, does that man beat you often?" He asked quietly.  
"Yes, my lord does. I cannot speak against him, else I will be thrown on the streets. I am only paid a measly wage sir, I get three shillings per week and live here and are given food." I replied.

"I see... Why do you keep calling me sir? I'm no better than you, you know." He said.  
"It's because I am sir. A-"  
"If you are going to say because I am, of mixed birth, don't. I am not one to believe in all that rubbish." He replied.

I looked up in surprise, I don't think I've ever met someone aside from my mother who had said such things!

"Oh... Well Mr Knox, thank you."  
"Call me Ronald, please and I'll call you Elanora." He smirked, he had such a bright, almost devilish smirk.  
"Thank you Ronald, one question, might I ask?"

He looked up at me, as if to say I shouldn't ask to ask a question. I wasn't really used to so much freedom of speech.  
"If you are dead, then how come I can see you, and talk to you and touch you?" I asked, this day had been bizarre to say the least.

He scratched the back of his head blankly, and crossed his legs as he sat in the arm chair next to the fireplace.  
"I'm not sure, but you're the only person who can." He replied.

I thought for a moment... He seemed nice enough, but then a few people had said that and then ended up in the pages of the paper with their obituary... He was a ghost and I'm sure ghosts can't hurt people... But he can touch me!

I was very conflicted. But one jump in a lifetime couldn't hurt.

"Well I suppose if you like, you are welcome to stay here." I said.

He looked in surprise.  
"Really!?" He asked, his face lighting up.  
"Yes, my lord will not be back for two months, due to his... 'Obligations' shall we say."  
"I see... Nobles dirty business ay?"  
"Yes, very dirty business."

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Ronald P.O.V

I had been living in the house with Elanora for a day or two now, she's a very nice girl, but she's extremely shy!  
I mean. I understand why, the poor girl's been beaten black and blue for most of her life.

It was about twelve in the afternoon. I hadn't felt hunger, and yet a question was popping in and out of my mind.

Would tea or food pass through me if I tried to consume it?

So here we were! Me and Elanora in the bathroom. A cup of tea and a cake held in her hand.  
"Okay, so how shall we try this?" I asked.  
"Stand in the bath, If I pour tea and it does go through you it's more work for me to clean up!" She said.

I stepped into the bath, luckily I had figured out how to stand on things, but I could phase through them too.  
Picking things up was the harder part. Unless I was in direct contact with Elanora I would phase through everything my hands or body touched.

"Okay here goes!?" She said, my hand initially phased through the tea cup, so I had to open my mouth and let her pour it in...

I felt nothing and it splattered into the bath.  
I looked down in disappointment.  
"Don't get too disheartened yet Ronald! Let's try it with me touching you!" She said enthusiastically.

She carefully placed a hand on my arm and I lifted the tea cup! I then put it to my lips and drank, awaiting the sound of a splat against the bath...

Instead I felt the liquid, tea taste go down my throat and fill me with warmth!

"Yes!"  
"So it seems that if I touch you, you can eat." She said thoughtfully.

She was a strange girl at times, but I liked her!

As time went on I liked her even more!  
She was very smart, talented and ... extremely pretty!

I found some of her sketches hidden in the books in the study.  
"Why do you hide your drawings in books?" I asked one day, handing her one she had done of people passing by in the street.

We were sat in the study currently.

"Well I used to keep them in a blank book when I was younger, but one day I was late in brining my lord his tea, so he found the book... And made me watched as he tossed it into the fire. I managed to save a few, but I burnt my hands and kept getting beaten because they were sore and I dropped things." She confided.

It made me angry, a lovely person like her didn't deserve that! All she had been, was kind to me, even though she didn't know me that well!

"That's horrible!" I said in shock.  
"I suppose it is, luckily the lord of the house is mostly away, so I only get short bouts of abuse and then long periods of rest. I've been trying to learn to draw flowers for a while now, but it's difficult, the petals on the roses never look right." She said thoughtfully.

It surprised me how she could switch off from it so quickly too... I wish I had met someone like her when I was alive! I wish I had met her!

"I could help you if you like." I offered, she looked hesitant at first, but nodded.

I stood up and walked towards her, she held a pencil in her hand and the rose was in a small pot on the table. Her hand shook slightly, and I then noticed the purple bruise slightly above her sleeve. She probably could draw it, but was having trouble doing so.

I took her hand gently and guided her hands around the edges and details, she hummed a slight tune as we did so and I smiled.  
By the time we had finished we had drawn a single rose, forever preserved on paper.

I turned around and noticed the slight blush on her cheeks as my hand left hers.

Elanora P.O.V

Three weeks have passed and we have developed somewhat of a system, if he needs to do something and I do at the same time I would casually place a finger on him, if he was near me while I was sat down I would gently tap him with my shoe and so on.

The more we talked the more we learned about each other, I didn't know he was a painter, but it explains how he helped me draw so well.

We were in the back of the house near the garden, discussing certain things as per usual when a question popped into my mind.  
He said don't end up like me, when he stopped me from jumping off the bridge, why?  
"Ronald?" I asked shyly not knowing how much of a sensitive topic this must be.  
"Yes?" He replied turning around from looking in the various crates and examining their contents.  
"Feel free to say no or get annoyed or shout, at this question if I may ask?"

He looked at me in confusion at my awkward tone, but nodded.  
"Why did you kill yourself?" I asked, cringing as the words hung in the silence, for what seemed like an eternity.

Ronald bowed his head and sighed.

"I was a painter, from a middle-working class family, eventually I started to make a small wage off my work and then I met a girl, she was from a higher class family, and I didn't really have much to offer, but she told me she loved me and I was happy with that, I had chased after her for weeks. However at times I suppose she could be bloody cruel to her servants and I ignored it. Until one day I walked in with her and another man, I knew him of course, he was of a noble upbringing, far more suited than I was for her. We argued and then she said she never loved me, and that I was just one of her toy boys. I had also spent a large amount of my earnings on trying to keep her happy and was barely keeping up with the rent. It just got too much so and I couldn't take it anymore... So I shot myself, and then woke up like this..."

The story made my blood run cold. How could someone be so cruel!? He was such a lovely gentleman! But then that is what the world was like.

I stood for a moment, he was obviously upset by the thoughts of this, so I gently patted his shoulder, until at one point we shared a light hug, and he cried quietly on my shoulder. And I was content with that.

And it stayed that way, and little by little we knew more about each other, until one night I had a night terror, in which I saw my mother, drink something and then die... It was like I was there, when I was younger, but I know my mother died of the Scarlet Fever... She didn't overdose! Did she?

Ronald passed through the door quickly, wondering what had been wrong and was alarmed to see me crying in my bed.  
"Are you alright, what happened?" He asked in alarm.  
"I saw my mother, and- and..." Words could barely escape my mouth, before I was enclosed in a hug.  
I strangely felt suddenly tired, and relaxed in his arms, but kept my grip on him, until I fell asleep.

When I woke up the following morning he was in bed with me, wide awake.

I was actually not sure if he even slept or not!  
"Good nights sleep?" He asked.

I nodded gingerly remembering how close he was to me! If he had been breathing I would have felt it on my skin.  
"I'm glad." He said, before getting up.  
"Ronald." I said.  
"Hmm?" He hummed in reply turning back around.  
"T-Thank you, for being my friend." I said shyly.  
"My pleasure." He smirked.

It was almost as if a certain shine was returning to him! And what went from a grey sort of glow was turning to a green, almost golden shine from him.

Ronald P.O.V It was a strange feeling, but as I got to know her more I began to forget about the troubles of my old life and begin to enjoy the moments I shared with her!

"Elanora listen, maybe with your help I could get into my apartment, grab my possessions and sell them! Maybe even get you the money, from my keep safe and then you could leave here and run away!" I said grabbing her hands enthusiastically.

"Ronald, I -"  
"I could do it, please let me do this for you." I almost begged, eager to repay her for her kindness.  
"Ronald, as kind as you are it's not your money I seek, nor as a means of escape." She smiled sadly.  
"What do you mean?" I asked in surprise.  
"Even if I had money it wouldn't matter, my skin tone will always be an obstacle, besides it's not money I'm after... It's freedom, to go wherever I want with out anyone caring, to not have to worry about meals and money!" She exclaimed.

I looked in shock, I never expected her to refuse my money so! My fiancé never did that... Could it be that Elanora was above the ideas of material objects, such has money that held no sentiment!?

"Freedom..." I smiled the word tasting sweet on my tongue.

I looked at her again, but strangely I saw her differently, she wasn't plain. She was absolutely Gorgeous! Long black hair, piercing blue eyes and a smile women would kill for and men would kill to have in their direction! Slender and smart, and only thought of others if she had them.

I couldn't believe what was happening, but my heart felt warm! I... was falling in love with her.

The Ghost was falling in love with the Girl... 


	4. End of the record

-Dispatch HQ-

Grell waited patiently in Williams office, well as patiently as he could get, tapping his fingernails against the desk as William sat on the phone.

"I understand sir, it shall be done by tonight." William said, a few seconds of steady listening with the phone pressed against his ear.

"I understand sir." He replied again, reaching into his draw and pulling out his death book, quickly scribbling a note or two onto two, specifc pages. He suddenly looked up in shock as the last part of the message was heard.

"But sir-" He was cut off by the loud booming voice that Grell could hear clearly from the other side of the room. William Grimaced slightly in pain.

"Are you questioning your superior Spears!" It boomed.

William Rubbed his ear and replied almost helplessly.

"No sir, we shall go now." And then hung up the phone.

Grell looked at him and waited for an answer, coming to a halt from his descent all over the walls. "Grell get your scythe, were going Ghost hunting." William said heading for the door.

Elanora P.O.V

Ron was so adorable... Oh wait What am I saying, he's a Ghost, but he's a adorable ghost... No! Don't the poor mans just killed himself because he was betrayed by his lover...

He doesn't need another mess to death with! I quickly dusted off some of the book shelves, then picked up a book and headed for my room, where Ronald was. He was sat in my bed, well half phased into the sheets.

"Here you go have fun." I smiled handing him the book.

"Can you read it to me?" He said suddenly.

"What are you two?" I scolded.

"It's not like that, it just reminds me of when my mother used to read to me, and she would always do it in Italian too cause she was Italian. I've missed that for a long time." He said.

I sat there for a moment, sitting on the bed next to him.

"What happened to your mother Ronald?" I asked carefully, his face turned sullen and grief stricken.

"She was killed out in the streets one night, she was coming home with a new sketch book for my birthday present, she had saved all her money to get it for me, it was specially bound and everything. They didn't find her till the morning after in an alley way, strangled blue. I always kept it, the pages only save for my most beautiful drawings. " He said My heart shook, now I felt terrible.

So I picked up the book. Even though my Italian was rusty, I would give it a shot. I began to read aloud and he smiled kindly at me, we eventually took turns until I began to fall asleep.

Ronald P.O.V

I just stared at her. God was I a creep for staring at a sleeping girl!? I just looked at her, she was so cute while she was asleep! I stroked her hair softly, she snuggled into my arm, my cheeks felt hot! Was I blushing!?

I just looked at her... and then her lips... No that would be wrong!?

She's sleeping and what if she doesn't like me! Could a relationship like that even work!? Suddenly there was a smash from Downstairs and she sat bolt upright.

"What was that!?" She asked in alarm.

"Stay here!" I said, quickly getting up and phasing towards the sound. In the living room the Window was shattered, shards of broken glass littered the floors, a sudden crunch heard from around the corner. I looked to see two men, one with bright red hair and another with black hair, both wore black suits and glasses.

"Where is she!?" The redheaded one whined.

Could they mean Elanora?

"I don't know, most likely upstairs, it does say that we would find Miss Hawthorn in this house." The black haired one replied tonelessly.

"The ghosts got to be around here as well." The redheaded one and added and I froze, quickly rushing upstairs. Elanora sat on the edge on the bed, hands grasping the sheets.

"Ron!"  
"Shhh! There are two men! They're looking for us!" I hissed in a hushed tone. "  
You what!?" She said, her hands flying to her mouth for her to keep silent.  
"They said they were looking for you and the Ghost! And-" Suddenly the slow sounds of footsteps could be heard. Making their way up the creaking wooden stair case.

"Quickly out the window, there's a ledge that we can jump down, since it's night time, they shouldn't be able to follow us if we hurry!" She hissed, prising open the window.

She gestured for me to go first, but I shook my head and edged her out, she wobbled on the cobbles of the roofs ledge before, carefully sliding down and hanging off the edge before carefully jumping down. I quickly followed, we ran through the Alley ways!

"It seems like you've done this before!?" I called as we ran.  
"Yes, when my lord used to leave for months without leaving a key, or rather before I found the spare, I had to get out to buy food." She replied.

As we got farther away from the house a series of shouts could be heard. "Well where are they!?" The redheads voice called.

"Look the windows open! They must have heard us break the window and fled, they can't have gotten far." The black haired ones voice replied.

I cursed and grabbed Elanora running faster. We must have turned about six streets by now! The dark streets lit by lampposts, the dim light illuminating a few trees as we passed through a park, their oak limbs hanging lifelessly in shadows of pitch black. Seeing Elanora's shadow as we ran, her hand holding mine, but as she ran it looked like her arm was stiffly positioned in the air... I had no shadow. I looked behind me for just a split second and Elanora doubled over in pain, clutching her head.

"Elanora!?"

"Ahhhh, Mother, don't! Don't take those! It'll kill you!" She screamed and wailed. I grabbed hold of her and shook her gently.

"Elanora!?" She blinked out of her daze and looked behind her, in the distance the two figures could be seen, making their way over... Roofs!

"I'm fine! Run!" She got up and dragged me along. The streets were deserted, from the angle at which the two jumped we had to keep running straight as they closed in on us.. We suddenly found ourselves at the bridge, cornered as the two jumped down and blocked off both sides, we backed up towards the edge of the bridge, keeping Elanora behind me.

"Can't run now can you!" The red one smiled, sharp teeth gleaming in the moonlight. "W-What do you want!?" Elanora yelled, her back hitting the bridge edge.

"Were here to take him, and then we'll deal with you after." The redhead replied...

Out of nowhere getting out a large whirring blade.

"I don't know who you think you are, buy you won't touch her !" I yelled.

"Death is a law that cannot be overruled I'm afraid." The black haired one said.

"Who are you!?" Elanora yelled, grabbing hold of my arm.

"We're Grim Reapers." The black haired one replied. He suddenly summoned a large pole and shot it at me. I pushed Elanora to the side and dodged it, it shredded part of my shirt! Could it do that. I hissed as a cut appeared on my arm.

"Ron!" She said, glaring at the black haired one.

"So it does work!" The redheaded one said before rushing in, I quickly pulled Elanora out of the way of that too.

"Ron look out!" She yelled. Just as I had dodged that, the pole came racing towards me, I had no time to react, but felt a heavy shove from smaller hands. Elanora shoved me out of the way.

"No! Don-" But it was too late, the pole went straight through her chest. She gasped in shock, and fell limp, the pole making her limbs dangle in the air, a thin trail of blood dripping from her lips.

"Well, this wasn't expected." The black haired one said stoically, trying to move the pole to the side, ripping it from her body to reach for me! She screamed in pain as it started to slide through her!

"No! Stop it!" I yelled, trying to think of something to do, my mind raced, but my transparent body refused to move.

She suddenly grabbed the pole with both hands, stopping its travel.

"I-I s-said don't touch him!" She coughed. The black haired ones expression turned to shock. He composed himself and smacked her body against the boundary, she coughed, but her grip remained fixed to the pole. "

Elanora!" I yelled trying to reach for her.

"R-Ron... You i-idiot, run!" She said, shoving me away. I looked at her in shock, what was she saying. "No! I can't leave you!" I said, suddenly facing a whirring blade in front of my face. I gritted my teeth and cursed at the redheaded reaper.

"Well aren't you cute, all dashing and noble." He smiled... Well I think it was a he?

"Ron! Go!" She yelled, her grip on the pole becoming slack as blood trickled from her wound onto it's metal frame.

"You've lasted longer than I thought you would." The black haired one called.

"I-I said, you. Are. N-not. Touching. H-Him!" She growled. The black haired one sighed, his glasses suddenly shining in the moonlight, before illuminating the phosphorescent eyes underneath.

Elanora P.O.V

It burned, I wanted the pain to end, this was worse than the beatings! My vision blurred at the edges and all I was tasting was blood.

"Well, I see you leave me no choice, but to shake you off." The black haired one said casually.

My eyes widened in shock as I was repeatedly slammed into the bridge, suddenly being lifted, the pole tore upwards hitting my ribs. I screamed, tears drifting from my eyes. I was dangled over the now cracked and crumbled edge of the bridge. I knew many of my bones were broken. No one would come to help, not at this time of night, and not this far out. No one could hear us.

"Stop it!" Ronald yelled. My arms slipped off the pole, the edges of my vision starting to go black, I was gasping for air that I couldn't manage to drag into my lungs.

"Such a shame..." The black haired one, commented before, tilting the pole downwards, I slid off and then started to free fall. The cold air pushed against me as I fell, limbs swinging like a ragdoll. I suddenly felt the push and bitter cold of murky green water...

I jumped to life, my body aching as I sank. I struggled violently, the layers of my maids dress tangling my legs and dragging me beneath the surface every time I tried to breathe. I Kicked, but my arms suddenly stopped moving, a cloud of red invading the water. I burst through the surface to take a breath, but was dragged under so quickly I breathed in the water instead, putrid and thick. I gagged, helplessly scrambling to make my way back up, but the burning feeling of the stagnant water invading my lungs pushed me further under. I screamed, knowing no one would hear me, I tried to cover my mouth, but the air burst through my fingers.

Ronald P.O.V

I watched horrified as she hit the water.

"You, you bastard!" I yelled, the feeling of tears hitting my face. The black haired reaper remained silent.

"William?" The redheaded reaper called, an uncertainty in his voice.

"Not now Grell." The black haired one said. I watched her scramble against the water, sliding under, red flowing out into the water, until she sank, only bubbles coming up through the water. I don't care, If I can touch her then I could pull her out! And I didn't breathe so I couldn't drown! While the red head was distracted I ran past and slid over the edge.

"Hey!" The redhead yelled, but I had already gone over the edge.

William P.O.V

I found my book and flicked to the page marked Elanora Hawthorn, in death type the section was blank. I grabbed my pen from my inside pocket and quickly wrote in the word "Suicide."

"Will... Why did you-?" Grell asked.

"This is the way it has to be Grell." I said tonelessly.

"But Will that's not how she-"

"These were our orders from on High, strictly from the Shadow League." Grell stayed silent.

"But what about the Girls mother, isn't she in the-"

"Not now Grell, not here." Ronald P.O.V I slid soundlessly in to the water.

Letting myself sink and looking around. I couldn't see her at all! I panicked she couldn't last long under water if she was passed out. I swam forward and under more, and saw a faint stream of red, that grew stronger the further down it went. I swam quickly the red overpowering the murky green water. She floated limply in the water, slowly sinking, her black hair covering most of her face. I grabbed her tightly and swam up. Slowly, but surely hitting reaching the top, until I burst through the surface, while the current pulled her along, it mostly passed through me, making us able to reach an embankment. I scrambled out of the water and pulled her up and out of the water, lying her flat and beginning the push her hair out of her face.

"Elanora. Elanora! Come one! Please!" I said, desperation rising in my voice. She stayed silent, thick crimson running along the cobblestone. I removed the hair from her eye's. I thought they would be closed, because she was passed out... I was sickeningly mistaken.

Her eye's were open and fixated, almost staring past me. The striking blue eye's normally shining in the dark, were dim and glassy.

"No! Elanora, don't do this! Not you too..." I cried, tears stinging my cheeks. I shook her, trying to stir her somehow. I felt like a child, a poor helpless child. I sobbed and hugged her dead body.

"I loved you, why are you leaving me too!?" I yelled. Soft faint foot steps could be heard, one the soft clicking of heels. I knew who it was, but I ignored it.

"Didn't you want to be free, to live like you wanted!?" I yelled, but heard no response, instead having glassy eye's stare back at me.

"Death is not the end..."  
"W-What?" I was snapped out of my grief and turned to the black haired man.  
"Death is not the end, you've proved that... Would you like to be with her?" He asked.

I looked at her, broken body the way she almost slipped out of my grasped and the sharp angle of one of her arms.

"Why should I listen to you!? You did this! We were happy!"

"No, due to an oversight, your soul was not collected and somehow you became a ghost. And by chance found someone who is able to see into the afterlife, we are Grim Reapers, tasked with collecting the souls of the dead and having them pass on... If you had let us, you would have both passed on peacefully, you see Miss Hawthorn was not meant to have lived this long." He said.

I thought for a moment. This was too much, my head pounded loudly in my ears. Grim Reapers? Pass on?

"What do you mean!? She wasn't supposed to live this long!?" I asked, at this point I was hysterical. "You talked her down that night on the bridge." The redheaded one said softly.

"Shh it's okay. You don't need to end your life."

"If she had never met me she would have not been beaten that night and not decided to commit suicide." I whispered to myself.

"No, the beating was inevitable, and rather she would have died sooner, almost as soon as the lord of the house left. She would have walked to the bridge and jumped." The black haired one said.

I couldn't believe this! This was my fault!

"Let us help you pass over, together." The redhead smiled sympathetically.

I couldn't argue... I didn't want to stay in this life any longer.

"This won't hurt her or you at all." The black haired one said... Quickly snipping small cuts on us, and out of them came... reels?

Elanora P.O.V

Remember who you are!  
Daughter of Grim!  
Last descendant!  
My name is Caldwell!  
You must hide your eye's!  
You can change fate!?  
Ronald's in pain...  
I can make him forget me...  
Then he won't be in pain anymore...

Ronald P.O.V

Suddenly the reel coming out of Elanora wrapped itself around me and connected with mine. I screamed, the burning sensation making me feel hot pain.

"Will! Is that a rogue!?" The Red head called bringing out his scythe.

"No... It's.. her! She didn't release a record when I first cut her." The black haired on said, stepping back slightly.

"Ron..." An echoing... female voice called.

I closed my eye's and when I opened them I was standing in a field... dressed in Green. In front of me stood Elanora... In a green dress!

"Elanora!" I said running and hugging her happily.

"Oh Ronald... I'm sorry..." She said, her voice carried through the air, almost spectral.

"Whatever for!?" I smiled through tears.  
"I've given you great pain, Ronald and because I love you... I'll take that pain away... By making you forget me..." She said sadly..

I stepped back suddenly in shock. What did she mean.

"Why would you want to do that!?" I called, but I felt sharp pain rack my soul. I screamed and then she started screaming too.

"And so I can't hurt you! I'll forget you too.." She cried.

My vision started flashing white, suddenly a memory fading to white every time... Who was the Girl in front of me? Why was I in a field? I felt things wrap around me.. I didn't know what they were suddenly we reached out for each other, not knowing what to do and then...  
pure white...  
Nothing...

Elanora P.O.V

I gasped in shock as I sat upright, back in William-Sempai's office! The memories attaching themselves in order to my memories, the shock causing a scorching pain in the back of my eye's. I stared wide eyed in shock... Ronald soon following by waking up...  
We both looked at each other, speechless and too shocked for words... I looked to William.

"I-I... I did that!? I-I made us forget..." My voice shook..  
"Yes... after you were reaped and awoken, you had no memory of your life or the events prior to your death. I was instructed not to tell you, and both me and Grell were sworn to secrecy, by the Shadow League. It's only as you became our students did we realize the full extent the bond you two shared went... Your souls were drawn back to each other, in some way. And as such fate tried to replicate certain events, such as the time when you saved Ronald's life on the bridge that December night, the circumstances were incredibly similar weren't they?" William explained.

We just nodded, both of us in a state of shock... I imagined Ronald couldn't look at me at this point...

"My mother... she... She committed suicide, didn't she?" I asked, I had flashbacks of her taking a bottle of green liquid and drinking from it... She told me it was medicine... She was lying to me...

"Yes, Lydia took her own life when you were fourteen, not because she wanted to abandon you, but because she knew she was dying and she didn't want a painful death or to be a burden to you..." William said solemnly.

Ronald suddenly pitched in. "How do you know this, where is Elanora's mother and if she's on this side why hasn't she come forward!?" Ronald asked.

"Because Lydia Hawthorn, is a member of the Shadow league...Isn't she?" I looked at William, straight in the eye's I could read him...

"Yes... She will most likely reveal herself to you when she feels you're ready, but you should go home... Seperatley..." William finished.

We nodded our head and almost lifelessly, walked out of the building, passing the other reapers by and walked home to our separate houses...  
We parted three streets away just looking at each other... I ambled the keys into the hole of my door and locked it behind me...  
before throwing myself onto my sofa. I curled into a ball grabbed my blanket and cried... I just lay there and cried... All the forgotten emotions suddenly slamming into me... I was a wreck... I sobbed uncontrollably...  
In some misguided way I had made us both forget and caused us incredible pain... Hours passed and I continued to cry...

The soft patter of an afternoon or early evening shower, drumming on the otherwise silent house.. I threw my jacket off as my crying made me hot underneath the blanket. My mother was out there! I had known Ronald for almost ever...  
And loved him for just as long...  
Another hour passed and the rain became heavier...

When there was suddenly a hurried knock at the door. I shakily got up, and rubbed my eye's before answering the door.

Ronald stood, sleeved rolled up, jacket gone, eye's tear stained and soaked through by the rain. "R-Ron?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"Elanora." He said, before roughly pulling me out of my house and into the rain, hurriedly smashing his lips into mine in a fiery passionate kiss.

He wrapped an arm around my waist, while mine slipped around his neck...

My hair starting to feel slightly heavier as the rain soaked us through. Ron's other hand reached up, tugging the ribbon out of my hair and letting it fall out of it's high pony tail over my shoulders, running his fingers through my hair. We continued to kiss, until the need for air became apparent and we separated breathing heavily.

"I bloody love you!" He said, cupping a cheek with his hand.

I cried, he held me close and we cried together, I eventually pulled him into my house and slammed the door shut, we both crashed into the sofa...

"I love you Ron." I sobbed.

"Shhh... I love you too. You've made me so happy. I can't wait to marry you!" He whispered.  
"Ron, there's something you should know... When we were at the Academy... And they-"  
"They bullied you a lot I know, they pushed your around, stole your work... I know, who do you think made sure they never had boyfriends, and spread around that they were slags." He laughed. I looked in surprise.

"How-?" "You would never miss a homework due date for William." He replied.

He held me close, there was one more thing he needed. sat up slightly and felt for the cord around my neck before pulling the crystal out. The green and blue on the inside glowed in the dark lighting of the room.

"W-What's that!?" Ronald asked.

"It's your now. I was given this when I fully got my powers, it's been what been brining me back all these times.. It's my last chance at life There is no particular name for it, only that all descendants have had them in their time. It is the final breath escaping my body, the last thoughts of the ones I hold dear, and a final rush of energy. In some parts it is my soul. Commonly called the the Reapers last chance." I explained.

"Why are you?-"

"Because no matter what happened, you've always come to save me..." I said.

He smiled back at me and took it wrapping it around his neck, and tenderly kissing it...

"I'll keep that safe...and I'll keep you safe too, so we don't have to use it." He said.

I smiled back. "So how does Elanora Knox sound to you?" He smiled devilishly.

"Yes, Ronald two dispatch officer Knox's is not going to confuse people." I laughed.

"Okay... Hawthorn-Knox?" He added.  
"Nice... Hawthorn-Knox for work... Mrs Knox for everything else... I promise.." I chuckled.  
"Now that's more like it!" He yelled excitedly...

Things are changing, for better or worse...  
And till second death do us part...

-End of Book 2-

Authors Note:

Thank you so much for sticking with the series! I know this one wasn't as action packed as the first book, but I'll make up for that with book three...  
If you're hopefully not sick of me by now and are trying to find the exit, In which case your friendly attendant Grell will guide you to the exits. Grell: Oooh I love this air hostess uniform, all red! Author: Shut it you! So yeah, look out for book 3: The Clock Strikes Twelve. The final book in this series:

The lives of both Ronald and Elanora have changed dramatically. And now their souls are going to be joined as one forever...

But can forever truly last. Dark forces seek Elanora's powers as the game changer for the oncoming war of all supernatural realms. The Demons who seek to use Elanora's powers to even the playing field against Reapers and Demons. Angels who fear her power will consume her and she will destroy everything and the Shadow League. who wish to turn more Reapers into something like her, powerful than any supernatural entity in existence...

Elanora's soul is on the line. And in truth Elanora's always found a way to save he must save her, but it's not going to be easy, when even the Grim Reaper realm is pitted against him and Elanora, can Ronald save his lovers life, and more importantly her soul.

The end is near and the final chapter shall be revealed... the prophecies, Clock Strikes Twelve.


End file.
